UP’s Radha wins silver in inter-school table tennis contest
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh lass Radhapriya Goel of DPS, Indirapuram shone in the 3rd 11Sports Inter-School Table Tennis National Championships, clinching a silver medal at Vijayawada on Sunday.
Radhapriya, a bronze medallist in the World Junior Circuit, battled her way to the finals in the Senior Boys’ singles category where she capitulated to Poymantee Baisya of Makhla Debiswari Vidya Niketan (West Bengal).
She lost 0-3 (8-11, 7-11, 9-11) to an in-form Poymantee to come out with her head held high.
Meanwhile, Karnataka and Bengal pocketed one gold, one silver and two bronze each to dominate the championship.
Tamil Nadu also won a gold and a bronze to end their campaign on a high note while Rajasthan pulled of a sensational victory to clinch the last gold medal on offer.
Chinmaya Somaiya of Mayur School (Rajasthan) overcame a fighting Akash Pal of Uttarpara Amarendra Vidyapith (West Bengal) 3-2 (2-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6) to clinch the coveted individual gold medal in the Senior Boys’ category.
Poymantee Baisya of Makhla Debiswari Vidya Niketan (West Bengal) took home the crown in the Senior Girls’ division. A member of the gold medal-winning Bengal team in the 2016 Sub-Junior Nationals, Poymantee upset Radhapriya Goel of DPS, Indirapuram (UP), a bronze medallist in the World Junior Circuit, 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-9) to hit the pinnacle.
In an all-Karnataka final featuring Sri Kumaran Children’s Home, Sujan Bharadwaj beat Srikanth Kashyap to take the coveted individual gold in the Junior Boys’ category.
Sujan, Karnataka’s No. 3 in the Cadet Boys, got the better of Srikanth, the State No. 2, in a pulsating final 3-2 (9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7) to pull off a minor upset. Hrithika S of PS Senior Secondary School (Tamil Nadu) whipped Vartica Bharat of St. Patrick School (Uttar Pradesh) 3-0 to clinch the individual gold in the Junior Girls’ category. She easily won 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 to round up a good showing in the championship.
RESULTS (all finals)
Senior boys: Chinmaya Somaiya (Mayur School, Rajasthan) bt Akash Pal (Uttarpara Amarendra Vidyapith, West Bengal) 3-2 (2-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6)
Senior girls: Poymantee Baisya (Makhla Debiswari Vidya Niketan, West Bengal) bt Radhapriya Goel (DPS, Indirapuram UP) 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-9)
Junior boys: Sujan Bharadwaj (Sri Kumaran Children’s Home, Karnataka) bt Srikanth Kashyap Sri Kumaran Children’s Home, Karnataka 3-2 (9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7)
Junior girls: Hrithika S (PS Senior Secondary School, Tamil Nadu) bt Vartica Bharat (St. Patrick, Uttar Pradesh) 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-6)